Greetings 21st Century Educators! We have a new challenge for you that definitely takes ingenuity, creativity, communication, and critical thinking……HOWEVER it has one extra challenge –you will NOT use any tech to do it. Yes, we want you to develop an outstanding non-technology day for your students.

Yes

Create a an exciting 21st Century Skill Day

Provide opportunities for communication and collaboration

Develop great ideas for dynamic teaching

No

Technology - that’s right – no email, photography, phones, iPads, computers. Don’t worry it’s just for one day J

Our Worldwide Educational Unplug Day is Friday, March 23rd, but feel free to move the date if Spring Break coincides with our special day.

Now here’s the 2nd challenge – we want you to share what your plans are for the day. What activities will your students do? What discussions will be held? What critical thinking interactions will be designed?

Share your ideas from February 28 - March 31 for your chance to be entered in a $50 gift certificate.

Note: This drawing will only become active when a minimum of 10 participants respond which means in some cases, the drawing will take place after the above mentioned date. For a complete description and eligibility of Engage community drawings, click on the Intel Bunny Person.

Eligibility: Intel® Teach Engage drawings are open only to individuals who (i) are not residents of Burma (Myanmar), Cuba, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Sudan, or Syria (ii) and, (iii) are at least eighteen (18) years of age or the age of majority in their jurisdiction of residence at the time of entry, whichever is greater. Employees of Intel Corporation, Clarity Innovations, and any of their parent and affiliate companies as well as the immediate family (spouse, parents, siblings and children) and household members of each such employee are not eligible. The drawings are subject to all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations and is void where prohibited.

21st Century Skills Addressed in this Webinar - Depending on how the project was directed any or all of these 21st Century Skills would be addressed

Communication

Collaboration

Creativity

Critical Thinking

Problem Solving

Self-Direction

ISTE Standards Addressed in this Webinar:

All of the NETS T would be implemented in an exemplary 21st Century Project. Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity ;c.promote student reflection using collaborative tools to reveal and clarify students' conceptual understanding and thinking, planning, and creative processes.

Dyane, I saw this article from the Pew Research Center and thought of this post. Here is a quote from the article. "Many of the experts surveyed by Elon University’s Imagining the Internet Center and the Pew Internet Project said the effects of hyperconnectivity and the always-on lifestyles of young people will be mostly positive between now and 2020. But the experts in this survey also predicted this generation will exhibit a thirst for instant gratification and quick fixes, a loss of patience, and a lack of deep-thinking ability due to what one referred to as “fast-twitch wiring.”

One thing we should never forget as educators is that it is about the journey of learning and not the "get it correct now" attitude. For me, the journey to learning something is as exciting as actually getting there.

Also, so many teacher are afraid to jump on the tech bandwagon due to their fear of not being tech savvy. We're trying to prove that 21st Century teaching starts with GOOD teaching, not merely tech, so we're hoping this excites everyone to join us.

Yes! I do agree that some of my co-workers are afraid to jump from an elderly traditional way. But hey, life isn't that unfair. Just like me before, even holding and operating a mouse is what I'm afraid of. I'm totally wrong, I'm just giving way for digital gaps to overpower my strength. Therefore, don't be afraid my fellow teachers! Let us control over machines. This could help our work easier and faster.

Neil, thank you for the link to the Pew article. It certainly made me think about how I feel technology has changed my life compared to when I was but a wee teen. What I liked best about the article is that they did not come up with a "this is the right answer" or "this is the scientific answer" or "this is the moral answer" but it allowed the thoughts of many to get the reader thinking.

The first article highlights Susan Greenfield, a neuroscientist.. She expresses quite a bit of concern, but does end with some optimism.

The second has a variety of opinions. In one of the links, Steven Pinker notes that, "such panics often fail basic reality checks." ("such panics" referring to grave fears about the detrimental effects of the internet/tech on our brains).

I'll just go back to Apollo's creed: Everything in moderation. Of course, try telling that to a teenager.

I think students need to have projects without technology. I have had students create book reports using their own imaginations called Book in a Container. They have to decorate a container using story elements from their book. Then inside the container they have to put 5 items that connect with their book. The student then presents the container to the class explaining the items in the container and how they relate to the book. Next they explain the story elements of the book that decorates their container. The students create some fantastic book reports!

Marcy, I really like your Book in a Container project. Using a container makes kids think hard about what to collect, what the objects represent, and how they relate to the book. True skills of a curator. Your post reminds me of a display at the Long Island Children's Musuem. Musuem sponors are given small plastic boxes to fill and display in the sponor exhibit.

I team teach with two other teachers and will try to get them to go along with me. I think they will be game.

My students will conduct experiments with catapults they will have made earlier in the week and make connections to the geometry unit we will have started. The STAAR Writing exam is the following Tuesday, so my students will be making final preparations for that. I will need to touch base with the Reading teacher to find out what she will be doing with the students.

My school is on spring break this week, so we did our Unplugged Day last Friday. My kiddos are doing a project based learning unit over the Holocaust, so this was an excellent opportunity for us to work on our butterfly art projects that are being donated to the Houston Holocaust Museum. Photos to come!

We are going to work on our Class Mural that shows landforms, animals, plants, etc... we are making a 10' mural integrating all academics into it. I am trying to document it with technology but won't do that today.

The kids can't believe we are not going to have IPADS today. Boy they are spoiled.

Jacqueline , I’d be interested in seeing pictures of your class mural. Perhaps you can post some here? (of course your picture posts would be after Unplugged Day). Unplugged day would be the perfect opportunity to concentrate on creating something.

This whole conversation reminds me of the growing popularity in DYI Culture (particularly when Diane says in the above video “create something”). Craft collectives like 3rd Ward, Maker Faires, and websites like Etsy that sell crafts attract more and more interest.

The Victoria and Albert Museum’s has an interesting website called The Power Of Making http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/p/powerofmaking Quote from the website: ”Making is the most powerful way that we solve problems, express ideas and shape our world. What and how we make defines who we are, and communicates who we want to be. For many people, making is critical for survival. For others, it is a chosen vocation: a way of thinking, inventing and innovating. And for some it is simply a delight to be able to shape a material and say ‘I made that’. The power of making is that it fulfills each of these human needs and desires.

I really like that line “And for some it is simply a delight to be able to shape a material and say ‘I made that’.

I am a PE teacher. You would think this would be easy - no technology, just activity. And we do a lot of that - activity with locomotor skills, now we are in the striking unit with baseball, golf, tennis and hockey. On March 23rd I tried going tech free. I didn't use any music from any source including the iPod, did not use the projector,or the iPad (to show skills, health topics, etc). The day was a bit more drab without music, and without moving to music. I could possible get away with not using the iPad (and I don't use it every day), but it does add an extra layer of interest, expanding horizons (esp. since most of our kids don't have computers, etc at home), and just something new. I don't think I could give up the music we use in class, though. So while I could go tech free, it is more interesting to add outside sources of information.

I will move "Worldwide Educational Unplugged Day" to after the Easter Holiday Weekend. I think this will be a real eye-opener to my students. We have become very dependent on our technology. Last year we had a day when we had no electricity and the students struggled to stay focused without the use of the clock, innovation stations and computers. They often asked me to show them a video or the worksheet on the innovation station. They didn't seem to understand how they could do normal classroom tasks without the technology aspect. At the end of the day, we will discuss how different things are and which way they prefer - with or without the technology. Unlike the day without electricity, we will have the lights and clocks on but everything else will go back to the way I originally taught in the classroom - with no technology. We have come a long way baby!

Congratulations Candice! You are the winner of this thread and will receive a $50.00 gift certificate to spend on something fun that gives you a break from being "plugged" in all the time. Look for an email with details on how to redeem your prize.

Thank you to all members for making this thread a great one. We look forward to your continued contributions--and look for more incentivized threads every month.